A Christmas romance and a second chance at love. Cody and Lexi were college sweethearts until suddenly Cody absconded on her with nary a word. Now he's back to spend a last Christmas with his dying father to find Lexie is his father's nurse and she and her young son live on the property. No! the child is not his.
Cody has alway been the love them and leave them kind of guy where women are concerned with work being his single minded focus but suddenly he finds himself falling in love again. However this time his business is going to be the wedge that's going to break them up forever.
This holiday has unexpected consequences for Cody. For the first time he's not looking for the first opportunity to run back to New York and work leaving the ranch behind in his wake. He's also bonding with Lexie's son as much as he's enjoying rekindling a relationship with Lexie and his love of the ranch.
On a voyage of self discovery Cody finally comes to terms with what drives him; his mother's death and the indelible impact it's had on his life; his father's losing battle with cancer; his brother's happiness. Can he overcome the mistakes of his past and have a meaningful relationship? Is he destined to be happy?
While the story is mostly predictable I did enjoy the hopefulness and heart.

He’d be content to stay in New York and dodge his family’s questions about when and with whom he plans to settle down and if he will do so back at home. But Cody Ford’s father is getting any younger and Cody doesn’t’ want to miss any last chances to see him and the folks back on the ranch. Lexi Murphy is working as Cody’s dad’s new live-in nurse and she holds a grudge against Cody since he believed he was too good for a small-town girl but she ever forgot him.

This second chance holiday romance is an angst ridden, emotionally gripping read that puts readers through an emotional wringer as Cody and Lexi tries to overcome the past and some emotional issues. Readers can’t help but experience all the emotions of the strong, compelling characters as they draw readers into their story which means they shed some tears but also hope and forgiveness as Cody works to prove that this time, he means business.

The plots is steady paced and captivates readers right from the start while keeping the readers glued to the pages with suspense as the HEA remains in question until the very end. Lots of family and secondary characters add that something extra to the story that makes it enjoyable and while Cody may be a bit of over dramatic, the magic of the holiday season and spirit of togetherness during the holidays makes this a gratifying and entertaining read.

This novel starts off with a bang and keeps on going. What could possibly go wrong (or right?) when Cody returns home to find Lexi, the girl he left without a word, taking care of his elderly father?

Lexi is strong, self sufficient woman who has had some difficult blows in life. Not only did Cody leave her to go off to the big city without a word, she seems to suffer a bit from insecurity. She had a child with a man that left the two of them as soon as their child came around. She has been carrying for the two of them ever since. Despite everything that has happened (money problems, absent father for her child and her own Mother’s health issues), she is still facing each day with a positive attitude. This becomes a bit harder when Cody returns.

The two are forced to face their past and really look at what happened. They are forced to look at those pivotal moments in their lives that caused them to change and how it affected the lives of those around them. For Cody, this was the death of his Mother and how he never healed properly.

The pair go on a journey to attempt to forgive the past and to build bridges for the future. But both are quite stubborn and you are constantly left wondering, can they truly make it? Can they truly forgive and put away the past? Can they handle their grief in order to move forward?

This is a beautiful story of second chances where you keep rooting for our main characters. You want so badly to see them together but are left wondering if there is just too much history for them to make it. This is a great romance novel released just in time for the holiday season.

Cody Ford left his family's Texas ranch when his mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer. He never told the woman he loved he was going. He broke her heart. However, life goes on. Now years later Lexi is a divorcée with a young son. She's taking care of Walter Ford, the patriarch of River Ranch. I like Lexi. She's a devoted mother and a fierce protector. I like a strong heroine. Cody is successful businessman. He ran away from his family. It took me some time to understand him. I was upset with his decisions especially with his plan to close the local retirement home to build high priced housing. The sparks of love still burn bright between the two former lovers. Do Lexi and Cody get a second chance to find love? The holiday season is the perfect setting for this emotional drama. I cared about the characters. They were easy to like especially young Harry who stole my heart. Soraya Lane wrote an emotional story that made me feel love and hope.
I received a copy of this book which I voluntarily read and reviewed. My comments are my honest opinion.

With his father not doing well Cosy has to come back to River Ranch. He is not expecting his fathers nurse to be the girl he left behind. Lexi was lucky to fall into this job as it also came with housing for her and her son. She is making friends with the Ford family, while struggling with moving her mom as her assisted living place was bought.As things unfold there will be disappointment laughter, broken trust among other things. When the time comes for Cody to leave that is when their true feelings will be learned.
I really enjoyed this book. It encompassed romance and the spirit of the holiday.


** I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review**

Once Upon a Cowboy Christmas (River Ranch - Book 3) by Soraya Lane

Publication: 10/29/2019
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Imprint: St. Martin’s Paperbacks
Genre: contemporary romance
Pages: 304
ISBN-13: 978-1250224286

Spotlights are for books I didn’t get the chance to review during the month. But I think some of you will like them a lot.

Nothing like a modern day Cowboy to make you’re heart gallop!

Purchase: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Indiebound, Book Depository

Soraya Lane on the Web: Website, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Goodreads

Books in the series:

River Ranch

1. Cowboy Stole My Heart (2018)
2. All Night with the Cowboy (2018)
3. Once Upon a Cowboy Christmas (2019)

Cover Art:




Excerpt from Once Upon a Cowboy Christmas courtesy of Amazon’s Look Inside feature

Synopsis:

Billionaires, cowboys, and romance collide during the holidays in this next book in the River Ranch series!

It’s the most wonderful time of the year at the Ford family ranch. Will one cowboy’s homecoming be the greatest gift of all?
He left town and never looked back.
Cody Ford is a Wall Street honcho with humble Texas roots. This holiday season, he’d be content to just stay in New York and not face his family―and dodge their questions about when and with whom he plans to settle down. . .and if he will do so back at home. But his father isn’t getting any younger, and Cody doesn’t want to miss any last chances to see him and the rest of the folks back on the ranch. The last person Cody was expecting to see? His one-time girlfriend, Lexi Murphy, who’s been working as his dad’s new live-in nurse.
She never forgot him. Can she ever forgive him?
Lexi still holds a grudge against Cody. Back then, the college-bound heartthrob believed he was too good for a small-town girl like Lexi. But now Cody can’t help but see her in a whole new light. Could it be that this beautiful single mother with an unbeatable can-do spirit is the one he’s been waiting for all along? That depends on whether Cody can prove to Lexi that, this time, he means business―and if a sudden snowstorm can lend just the right amount of Christmas magic to help move things along. . .

Once Upon a Cowboy Christmas is available now from your favorite bookseller

About the author:


As a child, Soraya Lane dreamed of becoming an author. Fast forward more than a few years, and Soraya is now living her dream! Soraya describes being an author as "the best career in the world", and she hopes to be writing romance for many years to come.
Soraya loves spending her days thinking up characters for books, and her home is a constant source of inspiration. She lives with her own real life hero and two sons on a small farm in New Zealand, surrounded by animals and with an office overlooking a field where their horses graze.

Cody has been running from his feelings, his family and life in general for years, ever since his mom became ill and died. As long as Cody stays at his company in New York, he can easily forget that anywhere or anyone else exists. His father is now ailing and Cody decides to go home for a few days at Christmas. Not only is he confronted by memories of his mom, but he is also confronted by his one true love who is now his father's caregiver.
Lexi is not the same girl that Cody left behind all those years ago. She is now a single mom with the added responsibility of providing for her mother's care while being a caregiver for Mr. Ford. Her job at the Ford ranch was easy until Cody decides to come home for Christmas. Now things get a little more complicated as Lexi realizes she still cares very much for Cody, but she just isn't sure she can forgive him for the way he left, until she learns the reasons for why he left the way he did and that he had sent her a goodbye letter of which her mother hid.
The road to true love is definitely not easy, but especially when you add in a misunderstanding, long buried feelings, a dying father and a soon to be evicted ailing mother. Read this lovely story to see just how and if Cody and Lexi can finally obtain their own HEA.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to have an ARC of this book and in exchange I am freely giving my honest open of said story. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

A wonderful plot that flows through many emotions: sadness, anger, loneliness, friendship, and love. The characters are well-developed and believable. This book caused me to laugh at the antics of Harry and cry at several points. I look forward to reading more from this author.

Once Upon A Cowboy Christmas by Soraya Lane
River Ranch #3

Second chances don’t come to all but in this novel high school sweethearts Cody and Lexie get their second chance when Cody returns for the holidays and finds Lexie the caregiver her for his father who has terminal cancer. The two do not hit it off well and have a great deal of tension between them throughout the book. They may still care for one another but what they had 15 years ago id definitely different in the present.

I had mixed feelings about the story. I found Cody a bit aloof, cold and cut off from his family and even himself. His focus was success and money and he seemed to have lost sight of those around him and the warmth relationships with family and friends might provide. I actually had trouble seeing why Lexie would want to have anything to do with him even though there were times I could see what she might have seen in Cody when he was a teenager...though that lighter-hearted more carefree person peeked out from time to time. I think the show-stealer of the story might have been Lexie’s son, Harry. He was such an open loving well-behaved child that he would be hard not to love.

Did I enjoy the story? I think so
Would I read more in this series? Probably

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC – this is my honest review.

3-4 Stars

*I received this book free from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley.*

Cody pretty much ran away from his hometown when he was old enough to. It wasn't because he'd had a bad childhood, opposite really, it had been wonderful and then his mom had gotten sick and he couldn't bear to see it. The pain clouded all the good memories.

Lexi was one of those forgotten memories, Cody's high school sweetheart. He'd just left without so much as a goodbye. And she'd held onto all of that hate for him over the years, that is until he came home for the holidays and was in her life every single day reminding her heart of what she'd once had.

Lexi had thought working for Cody's dad wouldn't be an issue or the fact that she lived on the farm while employed...she was wrong. Having him back home just added to her mountain of stress. Being a single mom who was also trying to take care of her mother didn't put her in the best of situations, but she's a fighter and she won't let anyone, not even Cody, get in her way of doing what she thinks is right.

"If I wasn't on my deathbed, I'd give you a damn good run for your money, son. A girl like that doesn't come along often."

Once Upon a Cowboy Christmas is a heartfelt holiday read filled with a little sassiness. Yes, I know it's too early in the year for Christmas stuff, but this one was worth getting started a little early.

I haven't read any of the other River Ranch books, but based on the characters I glimpsed in this book I bet they were just as good. I mean sassiness meets heat and Cody and Lexi are definitely heat whenever they're close to each other. I could feel it. I could feel all of the emotions as I read and that is what made it such a good book.

This book was a really good Christmas romance and a second chance romance. I didn’t realize it was a series so now I have to go back and read the gist two books.

A well written perfectly paced story pulling you in from the start. This one about Cody and his way of dealing with lose at such a young age. And the struggles that Lexi has been going through. It was a touching story of family and helping everyone they can.

So here's the deal ; I really really liked Lexi. With everything going on in her life she handled herself with grace and strength. With that said I'm not sure how I feel about Cody. While reading i just couldn't connect with him. I did warm up towards the end of the story but I wanted something more from him to feel like I loved him as a character.

This story has a topic that hits home and I'm sure if I read this book in another time period I would be head over heels in love with it but for now I'm giving it 3.5*.

***Review copy provide by the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review***

I quite enjoyed this story. You have Cody who flies back to his families Texas ranch for the holidays only to find his ex high school girlfriend in the kitchen. She was hired to help his father who is dying of cancer. As his full time aid she has become part of the family and a great source of cheer for his father. Lexi is a single mom, raising her boy and also taking care of her mother who is now in an adult living center.

Cody has left the family for the most part and made his way in the corporate world in New York, having left after high school and didn't look back. His is realizing he left a lot unsaid, and a lot unresolved. Hopefully he gets a second chance this holiday season.

Once Upon a Cowboy Christmas by Soraya Lane is book three in her River Ranch Series. Every book is about another couple and can easily be read as standalone.
Meet Cody Ford. He lives upstate NY and never goes home to the family ranch.His brother Tanner works the cattle, his sisters Mia and Angelina are living their own lives. When a family emergency forces him home he finds someone he never expected at his father's bedside.
Alexandria - Lexi and Cody share a past and there's still unfinished business between them. Alexandra became a single mom and now she works as caregiver.
Th emotions between them run high. Let me tell you, this book had me in twists. Cody isn't my favorite person, at all. He's the perfect anti-hero. Stubborn and mulish, business oriented to a fault.
Once Upon A Christmas Cowboy is an emotional read with characters that are real. I could feel their emotions in the words.
The writing is great and I give 4 beautiful Stars.

Cody Ford is an arrogant city boy, now.
He left town and his small town girlfriend and never looked back.
Now, Lexi is his father's caregiver.
SHe's the one he left behind.

Will Cody have matured to see what was right in front of him all along?

4 It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...Stars
So here we have the ranch boy who became a Wall Street Man. Loves New York City and all that it means to him. Yet this Christmas he knows he is best back at the ranch to spend time with his dad. Dad isn't getting any younger and it has been a while since he has been back.

Taking care of Dad is the girl who he left behind when he took off for the big city. Hurt her and she hasn't forgotten. Trouble is she may still have a soft spot for him. He sees her and realizes maybe the best was right in front of him from the start.

“Once Upon a Cowboy Christmas” by Soraya Lane is more subtle in its interpretation of angel, who in this story came in the guise of a cowboy,

Cody Ford is a Wall Street honcho with humble Texas roots. He can be a ruthless businessman, but he still has a soft heart when it comes to his family. And as it turned out, to his high school sweetheart Lexi Murphy who is currently the caregiver of Cody’s ailing father.

The history between Cody and Lexi is already hard to hurdle for them to give in to a second chance romance. But, there is also Lexi’s son, Cody’s father and Lexi’s mother to consider. Plus, all the property and business deals that Cody are juggling.

And though Cody tries very hard not to mix his personal life with his business, the Texas small town he grew up in just will not allow him. So, the question becomes – will Cody be a Scrooge, or will he be a Christmas angel?

Once again, this book was a disappointment for me! I hated Cody's motivations, felt like he was cocky, selfish, and manipulative, and not at all honorable. Lexi was too focused on the past, to the point where I had to wonder if she believed that she could be happy in a relationship at all! The plot was a bit unfocused and felt like the author left some plot threads hanging unfinished. I really had to struggle to read this one! Suffice it to say, this is one author I will avoid in the future!

Cody Ford left home years ago because his mother was sick and dying from cancer. He did not want to continue to watch her suffer, is what he has told himself all of these years. Now coming home with the father being ill is bringing back those same feelings. The problem with being home is his younger brother and sister who stayed are looking at him expecting him to leave once again. The person taking care of their father Lexi Murphy has been not only taking care of the father but is also living on the property with her young son. Everything changes for her when she sees Cody, but he does not remember his former girlfriend from high school. The same girlfriend that he said nothing to before he left and she has always wondered what she did.
After he figures out who she is and they begin to heal she comes to find out that he is now the person responsible for her mother and all of the other elderly persons having to move in just four weeks’ time with Christmas being right in the middle. When he begins to understand what he has done. It is what happened right before she found out that he is the one that owns the company that destroys her. His brother does not have to tell him I told you so because it is written all over his face. I liked this story and for much of it, it felt like a regular story with a little Christmas. The characters were all still very good and if you read the other books you won’t be disappointed.